SWCC Career Center Resume

Create a winning Resume: Do's and Don'ts

DO NOT:

Use title “Resume”
Write in paragraphs
Use up all the space on the page
Use fancy type or paper
Use vertical or horizontal lines
Staple or fold
Mention salary or wages
Use abbreviations
Change part of speech/tense of verbs within section
Include personal information
Use “I”

DO:

Limit to one page
List references on a second page
Keep sentences short or use phrases
Use simple, everyday language
Be specific; use examples
Customize resume for each job and company
Stress achievements and competencies
Accent the strengths, skills and experiences that match the company or job
Be positive; be honest
Research the company and the job so you can match what you CAN DO with what they need
Demonstrate that you have the core competencies required or can learn them quickly
Prove that you can ADD VALUE to the company/organization
Use standard 8 ½ x 11 paper
Use high quality white or ivory paper
Keep a one-inch margin on all sides of the page
Double space between sections
Bold or capitalize section headings to make them stand out
Use bullets to separate items
Avoid graphics and shading
Be consistent in organization of information
Use a word processor if possible
PROOFREAD for spelling and grammar
Save a copy on a disk
Laser print your final copy

Tips for Scanner-ready and Readable Resumes

©Give priority to the skills on your resume. Employers want to know what you can do, not just where you have been. This is why scannable resume systems are set up to read skills. Place the important skills at the beginning of the resume where employers can see them first. Also, scannable database systems store a fixed number of skills so that those that come later may not be included in the database. Insure that your skills and occupation-specific keywords match your objective.		©Avoid graphics and shading. Shading reduces the contrast making text hard to read. Graphics may catch the human eye but do not make sense to scanning systems.
		©Use a font size between 10 and 14 points. Don’t use script, italic or underlining. Highlight information using bold or CAPITAL letters.
© Place your name, address, and phone number with area code in a block format below the top margin. This key information helps interested employers reach you and is the preferred format for scannable systems. Put your name on each page.		©Stapling or folding diminishes the visual appearance of the resume and affects scannability. Avoid fasteners and consider sending your resume flat in a large white envelope.
© Use generous margins and plenty of white space. One-inch margins enhance the readability of your resume. Balance the body of the resume so that the content is not compressed. For multiple pages, make sure information is balanced on the pages. The final resume should be a high-contrast image-dark ink on white or light-colored paper.		© Be sure your resume is high quality and professional. Laser print your final copy. Remember, this is your advertisement to employers.
©Use vertical and horizontal lines sparingly and include a quarter inch of space around them. (Scanning systems can confuse lines and characters.)		©Choose a typeface (font) that is easily readable rather than decorative. Times New Roman, System, Arial, Courier New, or Century Schoolbook are readable.